Shoe display and carrying case

ABSTRACT

Shoe display and carrying case having releasable clamps for shoes to display a variety of shoes and preferably with adjustable stop member to accommodate shoes of different sizes.

llnited States Patent 1191 lDubenlm 1 Jan. 7, 1975 [54] SHOE DISPLAY AND CARRYING CASE 2,228,453 l/l94l Glidden 2l l/34 r761 Inventor: Nicholas vubenko, 1338 Mission 3833 23 5552? lfilffiiiiiiiiiii: jjiiifi' /if Franclsco, 94103 3,414,093 l2/l968 Chostner 190/16 [22] Filed: Feb. 7, 1973 Primary ExaminerD0nald F. Norton [211 Appl' 330299 Attorney, Agent, or FirmGregg, Hendricson &

Caplan [52] US. Cl 190/16, 206/293, 206/298, 21 1/34 511 1111.01 B65d 85/18 ABSTRACT [58 F'eld of Search 206/7 298; 190/16; Shoe display and carrying case having releasable 211/34 38 clamps for shoes to display a variety of shoes and preferably with adjustable stop member to accommodate [56] References C'ted shoes of different sizes.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 789,782 5/1905 Yates 190/16 5 Clam, 6 Drawmg F'gures I ll 1 U J 3 /IB 0 Q (a or i a ll l 5 SHOE DISPLAY AND CARRYING CASE This invention relates to a display and carrying case for shoes.

For the purpose of displaying shoes by a salesman who calls upon shoe stores, the equipment available heretofore has been inadequate and has been subject to one or more disadvantages such as inability of the equipment to display the shoes properly and/or lack of mobility and carrying quality of the equipment and/or safe keeping of the shoes enroute, between calls, etc.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a display device which is capable of handling a considerable number of shoes, for example, 16 or more ladies shoes or 14 or more mens shoes and which is capable of displaying each of the shoes so carried in adequate fashion and of firmly and safely clamping each shoe in proper position, such device being capable of being carried by hand and being adaptable to quick insertion and removal of shoes.

The above and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing description and the appended claims.

In accordance with the invention, a case is provided which has a top portion and a bottom portion which, when closed, resemble and are as easily transportable as an ordinary suitcase or a valise and when in open condition displays the shoes adequately, each portion being equipped with means for gripping and holding each of a plurality of shoes in the proper display position, such case preferably having adjustable means to accommodate shoes of different sizes.

Certain embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which,

FIG. l is a perspective view of the carrying and display case of the present invention shown in closed position,

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the same case shown in open position,

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 showing details of one of the clamp mechanisms,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the same clamp mechanism but with a different type of roller,

FIG. 5 is a similar view of the rear clamp mechanism with the type of roller shown in FIG. 3,

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view in vertical section through one half the carrying case showing the manner in which a shoe is clamped firmly in position for both display and transport purposes.

Referring now to the drawings and preliminarily to FIGS. 1 and 2, the carrying and display case of the present invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 and it comprises two substantially identical halves 11 and 12 each of which includes a flat, horizontal deck portion 13 and upstanding side portions 14 and end portions 15. Inasmuch as the two sections, 11 and 112, are identical (except that the section with the handle is somewhat deeper) only one of them (that shown in the upper half of FIG. 2) will be described in detail. The case is provided with hinges 16 which may be pianotype hinges and with clasps 17 for latching the two halves together when the case is in closed position. A hingedly mounted handle 18 and a lock 19 are provided by which the case can be carried and can be locked for security. Although in the preferred embodiment shown, the case has two identical halves 11 and 12, only a single compartment may be employed with a flat cover.

Referring now to FIG. 2, three transverse bars 25 are provided each of which is formed toward one end with a slot 27. Also shown is a longitudinal bar 26 which, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, is an inverted channel and is provided with three screws 28 each in registry with the slot 27 of one of the transverse bars 25 to which a nut 29 is attached to prevent inadvertent or accidental detachment of the longitudinal bar 26. The transverse bars 25 are in turn removeably secured to the deck portion 13 by screws 25a so that the screws 28 and the lock nuts 29 may be removed and replaced in case they become worn.

It will be apparent that, by means of this mounting the longitudinal bar 26 can be shifted forwardly or rearwardly for adjustment purposes as explained hereinafter. This is a preferred feature, but fixed, nonadjustable bars may be used.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a flat longitudinal bar 30 is provided which is affixed by screws 31 to the transverse bars 25. Mounted at intervals on the longitudinal bar 30 are clamping mechanisms each of which is generally designated by the reference numeral 35, one of which is shown in FIG. 3. Each of the clamp mechanisms 35 comprises an upstanding U-shaped bracket 36 in which one end 38 of a crank 39 is rotatably mounted. Each crank 39 is normally held in the down position shown in FIG. 3 by a torsion spring 40 wound about the end 38 of the crank 39 and affixed at one end to the respective bracket 35 and having its other end extending over and exerting a downward (or counterclockwise, as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 6) force on the crank.

At the forward end 39a of each crank 39 is a contact member 41 which is mounted on the crank and which may be of cylindrical shape as shown in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6 or which may have a conical shape as shown in FIG. 4. The contact members 41 are preferably of rubber or plastic construction which does not scar the shoes.

Referring now to FIG. 6, a shoe 45 is there shown having an upper heel portion 46, a lower heel portion 47 and an upper forward portion 48. The bar 26 on each side of the case may be adjusted by the means described above so that when the shoe 45 is seated as shown in FIG. 6 with its heel 47 on the deck portion 13 and the respective roller 41 released, (having been held manually in upward position while the shoe is inserted) the contact member 41 will bear against the upper heel portion 46 of the shoe and will force the lower heel portion 47 against the bar 26 while leaving sufficient room for the toe of the shoe in the area forward (to the left as viewed in FIG. 6) of the longitudinal bar 26. The bar 26 on each side of the case may be suitably adjusted to accommodate, for example, mens shoes, ladies shoes or childrens' shoes so that each shoe is firmly clamped while leaving ample room for the toes of the shoes.

It will therefore be apparent that a carrying and display case has been provided which will accommodate a large number of shoes, which in its preferred form has adjustment features so that small infants shoes, adult ladies shoes and adult mens shoes can be accommodated, each shoe being held firmly in position but in a manner which permits easy insertion and removal and which does no damage, scuffing or scoring to the shoes. It will also be apparent that this case is easily portable and, if it is made of lightweight plastic material, substantially the only weight will be that of the shoes themselves.

I claim:

1. A portable shoe display device comprising a substantially planar base member having a rearward longitudinal edge, a plurality of pivoted clamping members pivoted on a common axis adjacent said rearward edge and allowing pivotal movement of each clamp member in a vertical plane forwardly of said rearward edge, each said clamping member having a generally cylindrical contact portion mounted horizontally and serving to contact the heel of a shoe, resilient means acting on each clamp member to urge it downwardly and forwardly but retractable manually to permit insertion and removable of a shoe, and stop means fixed to said base forwardly of said clamp members to contact the forward portions of the heels of shoes.

2. The display device of claim 1 wherein said stop means is adjustable toward and away from said rearward edge to accommodate shoes of different sizes.

3. The display of claim 2 wherein each clamp member includes a contact member which is in contact with the upper heel portion of the shoe'when in operating condition.

4. A portable shoe and display carrying case comprising a first portion providing a cavity formed by a flat base and upstanding walls surrounding the base, a second similar portion hingedly connected to the first por tion to pivot between closed position for storage and transport and open position for display of the contents of the case, said second portion also providing a cavity formed by a flat base and upstanding walls surrounding the base; shoe clamping means within each such portion comprising a plurality of pivoted shoe clamps pivoting on a common axis adjacent one of the walls of the respective portion, each such clamp having a generally cylindrical contact member for horizontal line engagement with the upper heel portion of a shoe and having resilient means acting to urge the clamp into such engagement, and stop means acting against the forward edge of the lower heel portion of a shoe so clamped.

5. A portable shoe display device comprising a substantially planar base member having a rearward longitudinal edge, a plurality of pivoted clamping members pivoted on a common axis adjacent said rearward edge and allowing pivotal movement of each clamp member in a vertical plane forwardly of said rearward edge, resilient means acting on each clamp member to urge it downwardly and forwardly but retractable manually to permit insertion and removal of a shoe, and stop means fixed to said base forwardly of said clamp members to contact the forward portions of the heels of shoes, said stop means being in the form of a longitudinal strip extending parallel to the axis of the respective clamps and forwardly thereof and which is adjustable toward and away from the clamps to accommodate shoes of different heel sizes. 

1. A portable shoe display device comprising a substantially planar base member having a rearward longitudinal edge, a plurality of pivoted clamping members pivoted on a common axis adjacent said rearward edge and allowing pivotal movement of each clamp member in a vertical plane forwardly of said rearward edge, each said clamping member having a generally cylindrical contact portion mounted horizontally and serving to contact the heel of a shoe, resilient means acting on each clamp member to urge it downwardly and forwardly but retractable manually to permit insertion and removable of a shoe, and stop means fixed to said base forwardly of said clamp members to contact the forward portions of the heels of shoes.
 2. The display device of claim 1 wherein said stop means is adjustable toward and away from said rearward edge to accommodate shoes of different sizes.
 3. The display of claim 2 wherein each clamp member includes a contact member which is in contact with the upper heel portion of the shoe when in operating condition.
 4. A portable shoe and display carrying case comprising a first portion providing a cavity formed by a flat base and upstanding walls surrounding the base, a second similar portion hingedly connected to the first portion to pivot between closed position for storage and transport and open position for display of the contents of the case, said second portion also providing a cavity formed by a flat base and upstanding walls surrounding the base; shoe clamping means within each such portion comprising a plurality of pivoted shoe clamps pivoting on a common axis adjacent one of the walls of the respective portion, each such clamp having a generally cylindrical contact member for horizontal line engagement with the upper heel portion of a shoe and having resilient means acting to urge the clamp into such engagement, and stop means acting against the forward edge of the lower heel portion of a shoe so clamped.
 5. A portable shoe display device comprising a substantially planar base member having a rearward longitudinal edge, a plurality of pivoted clamping members pivoted on a common axis adjacent said rearward edge and allowing pivotal movement of each clamp member in a vertical plane forwardly of said rearward edge, resilient means acting on each clamp member to urge it downwardly and forwardly but retractable manually to permit insertion and removal of a shoe, and stop means fixed to said base forwardly of said clamp members to contact the forward portions of the heels of shoes, said stop means being in the form of a longitudinal strip extending parallel to the axis of the respective clamps and forwardly thereof and which is adjustable toward and away from the clamps to accommodate shoes of different heel sizes. 